Djembe
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The Djembe is a gobletshaped drum from Guinea in West Africa. Even though the djembe has a foot, it is not played resting on the ground. It usually hangs from a neck strap, and the drum head is beaten with the hands. The djembe is loud, versatile, and portable. This has made it popular with rock and pop musicians as well as traditional players. African goblet drums like this are occasionally used by composers for orchestral music.
| Family |
| Percussions |
| Pitch range |
| None. |
| Material |
| Wooden body, with animal-skin drum head. |
| Size |
| About 24 in (60 cm) high and 15 in (38 cm) in diameter across drum head. |
| Origins |
| The djembe is a traditional drum of the Manding people. They live in the Wassoulou region of Eastern Guinea and Western Mali. |
| Classification |
| Membranophone: an instrument that produces its sound by the vibration of a stretched skin. |
| And also... |
| Djembe musicians, like other players who use their hands on drums, cart get a wider range of sounds than those who use sticks. A much more subtle range of strokes is possible. Also, by pressing on the drum head with one hand while playing the other, higher and lower sounds can be achieved. |
